Energizer for gas engines



Jan. 2, 1940.

A. L PARKER 2,185,564

ENERGIZER FOR GAS ENGINES Filed Nov. 30, 1938 &

,v I g "-11 Patented Jan. 2, 1949 I Q UNITED STATES,

2,1s5,5s4 ENERGIZER ron GAS ENGINES Arthur L. Parker, Cleveland,- Ohio Application November 30, 1938, Serial No. 243,290 In Great Britain November 19, 1938 The invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in an energizer for gas engines,

which device is particularly adapted for opera-,

tion as a primer in the startingv of the engine.

An object of the invention is to provide an energizing device for dispensing fuel to a selected cylinder or cylinders of ahydrocarbon engine, or

to one or more of a series of hydrocarbon engines. In the carrying out of the invention, a pump is used comprising a casing and a piston which may be reciprocated therein, with whichcasing is associated a valve housing and a valve adapted to be turned for selectively distributing the fuel. The turning of the valve to a set position is accomplished by rotating the pump piston. The valve is locked in an off position by locking the piston against rotation while still in engagement with the valve, and the piston is yieldingly held in locked position by a spring housed within the pump casing. Referring more in detail to the drawing- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the pump casing and the valvehousing;

Fig.2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the inner endof the pump casing and showing the piston connected up to the valve and the control key disengaged from the casing so that the valve may be rotated;

\ Fig.3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the piston slightly retracted and the control key housed in the recess for holding the valve in off position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a portion of the pump casing and two of the keyways and also the locking recess, and

Fig. 5 is a sectionalview on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the gas energizer consists of a pump barused for the mounting ofthe pump on the cowl of anairship or any other suitable place where the device is to be used. The casing is provided with a valve housing 3, which as shown, is formed integral with the casing, although it may be detachably connected to the barrel of the pump.

Mounted for reciprocation in the pump barrel or casing l is a piston 4. The piston, as shown, is a solid metal piece having a close sliding fit with the inner surface of the pump casing l. Attached to the outer end of the piston rod is a handle 5. Said handle is secured to the piston by a suitable holding screw 6. The outer or left hand end of the pump casing, as shown in Figure 1, is closed and sealed by a cap member which has a threaded connection with the casing. The casing has a recess surrounding the piston in which is located a ring 8. Contacting with the'ring 8 is an-annular packing 9 and 5 contacting with the packing 9 is a metal sleeve I0 having. a laterally projecting'shoulder which is engaged by the cap member I. The inner edge of the cap member 1 is provided with notches II and a spring locking dog l2 secured 10 to the flange 2 of the casing I engages the notches so as to yieldingly hold the cap member 1 in a set position, firmly pressing the sleeve I0 against the packing 9. This insures that there will be no leak between the piston and the pump casing 15 when the piston is fuel. I

At'the inner end of the pump casing'is a chamber l3. Projecting laterally from the valve hous- 7 ing 3 is a member 14 to which a pipemay' be 20 connected leading to a source of fuel supply. Mounted in this member 14 is a'valve seat IS with which a check valve l6 makescontact. The valve is held against its seat by means of a spring IT. A port l 8 connects the chamber l3 with 25 the member l4 and the supply pipe. When the pump piston is withdrawn, fuel will be drawn from the supply past the check valve "5 into the chamber l3 and the pump casing. .When the pump piston is forced inwardly, the check valve 3 0 [6 will close.

As illustrated, there are two outlets through the valve housing for selectively distributing the fuel to the place where itis to be used. One of used for forcibly deliveringthese outlets is through the laterally projecting 35 .member it to which a pipe may be connected,

and the other is through the laterally projecting member I9 to which the pipe may be likewise connected. The valve housing is provided with a tapered seat in'which is located a cone-shaped valve 2| The valve is pressed against the seat by means of a spring 22 which bears against an abutment member 23 at its outer end and against the valve at its inner end. This abutment mem- 26, 26 leading to the chamber I3 (see Fig. 3).

The valve is also provided with a radial port 21. When the valve is positioned as shown in Figure 5 that setting the valve in .piston and the stem,

ber l9. By turning the valve through an angle of ninety degrees, then this port 21 could be connected with the outlet member l8. Thus it is a predetermined position enables the operator to selectively distribute the fuel to the place where it is desired to use the same. It will be understood that one outlet alone may be used, or three or more outlets may be used, and all that is necessary is to bring the radiafport 21 into connection with the desired outlet for distributing the fuel selectively to one or more of a plurality of cylinders in-a hydrocarbon engine, or to one or more hydrocarbon engines in a group.

In order to provide a means for readily turning the valve to different set positions and also to an off position where the port 21 is closed, the piston 4 is recessed at its inner end as indicated at 28. Mounted in this recess is a projecting stem or wrench 29 which may be connected to the valve for turning the same and which is disconnected from the valve during the operation of the piston for delivering a charge of fuel. This stem 29 is held rigidly attached to the piston by means of a pin 30 which passes through the piston and through the stem-as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Means is provided for holding the piston is so constructed against rotation, which means that it may be released and the piston used when connected to the valve, for turning the valve. This means for preventing rotation of the piston at certain times comprises, a key 3| which is located in a slot in the inner end of the piston. This key 3| passes through the stem 29 and the pin 30 passes through not only the but also the key, and thus the key is rigidly attached to the piston. The pumpcasing is provided with a keyway 32 which extends from the outer end of the chamber I3 to the recess at the outer end receiving the packing for the piston. The key 3! has a projecting tongue 33 which when brought into register with the keyway 32 will enter said keyway and move along the same.

In Figure 5 of the drawing, two keyways 32 are shown, one which is associated with the outlet l8 and the other which is associated with the outlet IS. ,The iriner end of the stem or wrench 29 is formed with an enlarged head 34. The head, for a distance up into the stem, has a slot 35 The valve has a projecting member 36 formed integral therewith, the outer end of which is rounded as indicated at 31. The corners 38 where the slot 35 merges into the outer face of the head 34 are also rounded. When the piston is moved to the inner end of its stroke, the projecting member 36 will enter this slot 35 in the stem or wrench attached to the piston, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing. The piston may be moved inwardly so as to release the key from the keyway 32, and when said key is released'from the keyway then the valve may be turned to a desired set position. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the projecting tongue 33 of the key 3| is still in the keyway 32. A slightly further inward movement of the piston to the position shown in- Figure 2 causes the key to pass out of the keyway so that the piston is released and the operator by use of the handle 5 may turn the piston and also turn the valve to a desired set position. Let us assume that the valve is turned so as to bring the key into register with the keyway associated'with theoutlet l8. This will connect the port 21 with the outlet l8, and when the piston is withdrawn, thenthe tongue of the key will pass into the keyway which is associated with this outlet l8;

It is desirable to ,turn the'valve to an off posi- 1 tion so that the radial port 21 is disconnected from either outlet, and this is accomplished in the following manner. slightly larger diameter than the bore of the pump casing. outer end of the chamber l3. The casing'is pro- This leaves a shoulder at the- The chamber 13 is of vided with a recess in this shoulder as indicated at 39 in Figure5 of the drawing. As indicated 1 in Figure 4, there are two keyways and a single locking recess. These, of course, will be added to when additional outlets are used. If, there'- fore, the valve is turned so that' the key enters i this locking recess, the port 2'! will then be positioned so that it is closed and not in register with any outlet.

Mounted on the stem 29 is a cup member 40.

The cup member has an opening therethrough so as to provide a flange which engages the head 34. The cup member is also turned outward to form a flange 4|. A spring 42 surrounds this cup member and at one end bears against the flange 4|, whilesaid spring at. its other end bears against the end of the piston. Thisspring and the cup move with the piston in its reciprocaa I 30 7 the piston is moved inward, the cupv will contact,

tions. The parts are so dimensioned that when with the inner wall of the chamber I3. At this time, the stem or wrench 29has passed down.

over the projecting member 36 on thevalve so that they are in engagement. A further inward movement of the piston will compress the spring and move the key tongue out of the' keyway. When the valve is turned to an ofi position and pressure. is released on the piston, the spring A will move the piston outward and cause the key tongue to seat in one of the recesses 39 and this positively locks the valve in this set position.

At the inner end of the port 25 is a valve seat 43 with which a ball check valve 44 is adapted" to make contact. The valve is yieldingly pressed against the seat by a plunger 45. Saidplunger a spring 41. This spring bears atits outer end against a diaphragm 43. and at its inner end against said plunger. There is a port 49 connecting the radial port 21 with the recess 46.

"is provided with a recess 46 inwhich is located There .s also an opening 50in the cap plate 24.

The check valve 44 is seated when the piston is withdrawn so that fuel is'drawn by this outward movement of the piston .from the supply; When the piston is forced inward, then this check valve 44 is unseated and the-fuel passes through the outlet to the place where it isjdesired to use the same. Any suction pull on the outlet from the engine will, throughsthe port 49, create a vacuum in the recess 46 on the-inner side of the diaphragm 48.

This diaphragm is g fiexible.and when this vacuum pull occurs on the inner face thereof, the atmospheric pressure on the outer face of the diaphragm will increase the pressure of the spring against the plunger 45 and thus tightly seat the check" valve 44 against the suction pull of the engine.

It will be noted that the projecting member on i the valve extends well into the slot in the stem or wrench carried by the piston so that there is no chance of the piston being released for.

rotation at any time. Whenever thepiston is rotated, it is; connected up to the valve, and therefore, cannot get out of register with the valve, because the valve, when the piston is dis-' connected therefrom for reciprocation, is left in a set position, and the piston cannot rotate during the reciprocation thereof for drawing in and dispensing the charge because the tongue on the sioned so that when the piston is at the forward end of its stroke, it will contact with the inner wall of thephamber [3 before the stern contacts with said wall, or the face of the valve which is flushwith said wall. This limits the inward movement of the piston without any possible chance of the piston or any part carried thereby striking and unseating the valve.

It is thought that the use of the pump will be clear from the description which has been given. Assuming that the valve is located in a set position and the operator. desires to energize one or more of a plurality of cylinders, or a cylinder with one or more or a series of hydrocarbon engines, the handle of the energizing device is grasped by the operator, the piston moved inward until the locking, tongue is moved out of engagement with theholding recess which holds the valve in off position, then the valve is turned to a selected position for dispensing the fuel.

Suitable means is associated with the handle for indicating the setting of the valve relative to the point where'the fuel is to be distributed. When the valve is properly set for distributing to a certain cylinder, then the tongue on the locking key is in alinement with the keyway and the piston can be fully withdrawn to draw a charge by the check valve l6 into the pump casing, and for then discharging the fuel on the lnstroke of the piston past the check valve 44 and to the desired place of use.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. An energizer for gas engines comprising a fuel pump having a casing, a reciprocating piston disposed within the casing, a valve housing associated with said pump casing for controlling the distribution of fuel by the pump, a distributing valvemounted in said valve housing, means tation while connected to. the distributing valve so as to hold said valve in a set closed position.

2. An energizer for gas engines comprising a fuel pump having a casing, a reciprocating piston disposed within theeasing, a valve housing associated with said pump casing for controlling the distribution of fuel by the pump, a distributing valve mounted in said valve housing, said piston having a projecting stem provided with a head having a slot extending diametrically across said head, and said valve having a projecting member adapted to engage said slot in the stem when the pump is at the inner end of its stroke so that a rotating movement of the piston will shift the distributing valve to different set positions including a closed position, and yielding means disposed within said pump casing at the inner end of said pistonfor locking the piston against rotation Whileconnected to the, distributing valve so as to hold ,said valve in a set closed position. I

3. An energizer for gas engines comprising a fuel pump having a casing, a reciprocating piston disposed within the casing, a valve housing associated with saidpump casing for controlling. the distribution of fuel by the pump,- a'distributing valve mounted in said valve housing,

said piston having a projecting stem providedwith a head having a slot extending diametrically across said head, and said valve'having aprojecting member adapted to engage said. slot in the stem when the pump is at the inner end of its stroke so that a rotating movement of the piston will shift the distributing valve to different set positions including an off position, said piston having a laterally projecting key tongue, and

said casing having a keyway adapted to receive said tongue when the distributing valve is properly connected to an'outlet, and for preventing rotation of the pistonwhen disconnected from said valve, said casing having locking recesses adapted to receive said tongue and prevent rotation of the piston when the valve is turned to off position and while said piston is still in engagement with the valve. e

4. An energizer for gas engines comprising a fuel pump having a casing, a reciprocating piston disposed within the casing, a valve housing associated with said pump casing for controlling the distribution of fuel by the pump, a distributing valve mounted in said valve housing, said piston having a projecting stem provided with' a head having a slot extending diametrically across said head, and said valve having a projecting member adapted to engage said slot in the stem when the pump is at the inner end of its stroke so that a rotating movement of the piston willshift the distributing valve to different set positions including an off position, said piston having a laterally projecting key tongue, and said casing having a keyway adapted, to receive said tongue when the distributing valve is properly connected to an outlet, and for preventing rotation of the piston when disconnected from said valve, said casing having locking recesses adapted to receive said tongue and prevent rotation of the piston when the valve is turned to off position and while said piston is still in engagement with the valve,' a movable abutment member carried by the piston and a spring disposed between the end of the piston and the movable abutment member andmovable therewith and operating to yieldingly force the locking tongue into the locking recess.

5. An energizer for gas engines comprising a fuel pump having a casing, a reciprocating piston disposed within the casing, a valve housing associated with said pump casing for controlling the distribution of fuel by the pump, a distribut ing valve mounted in said valve housing, said piston having a projecting stem provided with a head having a slot extending diametrically across ing a laterally projecting key tongue, and said 4- 2,185,564 r casing having a keyway adapted to receive said a limited movement thereon, a spring encircling tongue when the distributing valve is properly said cup-shaped member between the piston head connected to an outlet and 'for preventing rotaand the flange at the inner end or the cup, said tion of the piston when disconnected from said cup being adapted to contact with the valve 5 valve, said casing having locking recesses adapthousing and compress the springwhen the lock- 5:

ed to receive said tongue and prevent rotation ing tongue is free from engagement with the keyof the piston when the valve is turned to of! poway or a, locking recess whereby said piston is sition and while said piston is still in engagement urged outwardly and the tongue into. a locking with the valve, a cup-shaped abutment member recess for holdingthe valve in an oil position.

10 carried by the inner end of the piston and having ARTHUR L. PARKER. 10 

